Worlebury Camp Hillfort Conservation Management Plan 2018 – 2025 1 Contents Figures & Illustrations ............................................................................................................................. 3 1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................................ 4 2. Site Description ................................................................................................................................... 5 2.1 General information ..................................................................................................................... 5 Map of Worlebury Camp ........................................................................................................................ 8 3. Historical & Archaeological Background ............................................................................................. 9 3.1 Archaeological investigations of Worlebury Camp .................................................................... 10 3.2 Features of the hillfort ................................................................................................................ 11 4. Previous Management of Worlebury Camp ..................................................................................... 16 5. Worlebury Hillfort Project ................................................................................................................. 18 6. Management issues .......................................................................................................................... 20 6.1 Overview ..................................................................................................................................... 20 6.2 Heritage Threats ......................................................................................................................... 20 6.2.1 Forestry and scrub growth ....................................................................................................... 20 6.2.2 Erosion ..................................................................................................................................... 23 6.3 Heritage Crime ............................................................................................................................ 23 6.3.1 Removal of objects ................................................................................................................... 24 6.3.2 Littering and fire settings ......................................................................................................... 25 7. Site management - aims and objectives ........................................................................................... 26 8. Work Plan .......................................................................................................................................... 27 References ............................................................................................................................................ 37 Glossary ................................................................................................................................................. 38 Appendix 1 – Research potential / projects ...................................................................................... 39 Appendix 2 – Removal of trees and vegetation (including restoration of limestone grassland) ..... 40 Appendix 3 – Condition Survey Report 2018 .................................................................................... 42 2 Figures & Illustrations Figure 1 Location map including access points & extent of Scheduled area 8 Figure 2 Recorded Iron Age sites from North Somerset Historic Environment Record 9 Figure 3 Aerial photograph of Worlebury Camp, 1971 10 Figure 4 Worlebury, based on Dymond’s plan of 1880 showing the ramparts, ditches and pits. 11 Added to it are the approximate positions of some of the hut sites Figure 5 Plans of walls/ramparts (Dymond & Tomkins, 1886) 12 Figure 6 Plans of walls/ramparts (Dymond & Tomkins, 1886) 12 Figure 7 Eastern ramparts after vegetation clearance showing 1930s path (January 2018) 12 Figure 8 Workmen constructing path (Weston Mercury & Somersetshire Herald (1939) 13 Figure 9 Extract from digital terrain model of Worlebury Camp 13 Figure 10 Drawing of excavated pit 14 Figure 11 Dense area of excavated storage pits in ‘The Glade’ 14 Figure 12 Drawing of excavated pit 14 Figure 13 Concentration of pits on DTM 14 Figure 14 1st edition Ordnance Survey map, 1880s 14 Figure 15 Locations of heritage threats and heritage crime 20 Figure 16 Heritage Threats: vegetation and trees 21 Figure 17 Pit engulfed by ivy, with roots of medium-sized tree enveloping side of pit 21 Figure 18 Trees and vegetation along southern rampart 21 Figure 19 Trees and vegetation along ramparts. Roots here are causing damage to the rampart 21 material Figure 20 Damage caused by a tree throw 21 Figure 21 Glade after vegetation cut - January 2017 22 Figure 22 Glade after further removal of vegetation – January 2018 22 Figure 23 Pit cleared of brambles 22 Figure 24 Glade showing continued clearance of brambles, etc., resulting in re-establishment of 22 limestone grassland – Summer 2018 Figure 25 Recorded locations of erosion 23 Figure 26 Recorded locations of heritage crime 23 Figure 27 Removal of stones resulting in creation of modern cairn 24 Figure 28 Example of shelter created using rampart material on southern slopes 24 Figure 29 Example of shelter created using rampart material on southern slopes 24 Figure 30 Example of shelter/play-fort created using rampart material on eastern ramparts 24 Figure 31 Area of fly tipping on northern slopes 25 Figure 32 Large fire setting at top of Trinity Steps 25 Figure 33 Digital terrain model (DTM) of Worlebury Camp 36 Figure 34 Areas identified for felling 41 3 1. Introduction Worlebury Camp is a large Iron Age hillfort located on a limestone promontory to the north of Weston- super-Mare. It sits at the western spur of Worlebury Hill covering an area of approximately 10 hectares, within the larger Weston Woods (130 hectares). It is afforded the highest protection for a heritage asset in England, as a Scheduled Monument (National Heritage List for England number: 1011260). The land within which the hillfort sits is owned and managed by North Somerset Council. The hillfort was planted with trees in the early 19th century and has been subject to deforestation and subsequent afforestation since this time. Worlebury Camp was placed on Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register in 2016, categorised as vulnerable, with the principal threats being trees and vegetation. A number of initiatives have been undertaken by North Somerset Council to improve the hillfort and prevent damage through the removal of trees and vegetation clearance, as well as the creation of interpretation boards and better access to the monument. Now that the hillfort has been placed on the Heritage at Risk Register, North Somerset Council is even more committed to the preservation of this exceptional monument. Working with the volunteers of the Worlebury Hillfort Group, we will begin this with the creation and implementation of this management plan, which sets out our objectives until 2025. This document was subject to public consultation between 12th October and 9th November 2018, and all responses have been taken into consideration and included where feasible. We thank the local groups and residents for feeding into this. 4 2. Site Description 2.1 General information Parish: Weston-super-Mare Local Planning Authority: North Somerset Council Grid Reference: ST 312 624 Maps: OS 1:50000 sheet 182 2.1.1 Area 10.07 hectares (Compartment 8 of Weston Woods plus 7 remaining compartments = 140 hectares) 2.1.2 Tenure North Somerset Council: Bought by former Woodspring Council in 1937 2.1.3 Status Designated as Scheduled Ancient Monument in 1915 under Ancient Monuments Act 1913. Now protected as a Scheduled Monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act (1979). 2.1.4 Sites of Conservation Interest (based on North Somerset Local Plan) Wildlife Site – number 581 – Worlebury Hill Local Nature Reserve – number 28 – Weston Woods 2.1.5 Access and pathways Pedestrian access only. Weston Woods, in which the hillfort sits, is afforded free public access all year round. Main access points are Camp Road, Trinity Road, the bridleway to the north, and Worlebury Hill Road. There is no vehicular access within the scheduled area. Two public rights of way traverse the interior of the hillfort. One from the eastern end, at the access point from Worlebury Hill Road, to the westernmost access at Camp Steps, and the other crosses this perpendicular from the access on the bridleway on the northern edge, to Trinity Steps on the southern side. A bridleway runs from Toll Road and skirts the edge of the scheduled area on its northernmost limits. All access points are highlighted in figure 1. 2.1.6 Site use The site is used by a variety of visitors for walking (including dog walking), wildlife/plant interest and historical interest. 5 2.1.7 Designation details (extracted from the National Heritage List of England – see figure 1 for extent) Name: Worlebury Camp: a large multivallate hillfort on Worlebury Hill List entry Number: 1011260 Reasons for Designation Large multivallate hillforts are defined as fortified enclosures of between 5ha and 85ha in area, located on hills